The Uses of Clipping Path in Graphics Design

Clipping Path is probably the most useful in Photoshop, as it provides the stepping stone for most of the other Photoshop related services. But we must first find out what is a clipping path?

Clipping Path are also known as closed vector paths, this path dictates which part or parts of an image will be affected by edits to an image and which won’t. A path is drawn via the “pen tool” option, with it you can outline the part of the image you want to edit, sort of like sketching the outside of a coin. Once this is done and the path is complete, anything that is inside the path can be changed or altered without affecting anything outside of the path.

So what are clipping paths used for?

Once a path has been created around an object it can be put to many uses. The first use that comes to mind is the image masking. Image masking is used to create a single image from multiple images. By placing different images in different layers, paths in each layer can be used to decide which parts of which layer will show on the other layers, this is known as a mask. Image masking are essential to many types of image manipulation and cannot be done without clipping paths.

Similarly color correction services also rely on clipping paths, when changing the color of an object a path must first be set so the color does not exceed on to the background of the image although it may not sound like a very interesting use, color correction is a commercial service and is done professionally to earn money, so it is very important that paths are drawn with pinpoint accuracy.

Services such as image manipulation, background removal service and neck joint services also need the use of clipping paths, to separate the object of the image from its background. So you will find clipping paths are required in general by all photo editing services.

Clipping paths serve as the first and most basic tools of photo shop, however it is also the most essential. As the most important part of photo editing is that accuracy is key, clipping paths allow the editor a small amount of relaxation as once an image has been pathed the editor is free to edit without worrying whether the rest of the image will be affected or if it will show out of place. For a clipping path to be really accurate it must be done to pixel by pixel ratio, so that even the trained eye will not notice the changes.